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the rebellion. The resolutions, after slight amendments by the Senate, were passed in June, and were strongly advocated by Mr. Sumner. Every measure of reconstruction brought before Congress which offered guarantees of protection and equal rights to the negro, up to the introduction of the "Military Government bill" found a warm friend in Mr. Sumner. This bill dividing the Southern States into military districts, to be under the command of a General and military force to maintain peace and order until a stable Government could be formed, and met with an energetic foe in President Johnson. It was passed by both Houses Feb. 20, 1867, Mr. Sumner being a leading advocate in the Senate and Mr. Stevens in the House. It was vetoed by President Johnson March 2, 1867, and was passed over the veto by both Houses with a gain of ten votes in the Senate and three in the House. The supplementary bill to the original, which passed both Houses, was also vetoed March 23, 1867, by the President, and was promptly passed over the veto in the Senate and House. The war between Congress and President Johnson, who had been so bent on forcing upon it his own policy of reconstruction, that of recognizing the rebellious States as being still sovereign States, became a bitter one. Mr. Sumner gave expression to his sentiments concerning the President's conduct on many occasions, and finally Mr. Johnson, after his famous tour around the country, was impeached. At the great, impeachment trial Mr. Sumner submitted an order that the question be put, as proposed by the presiding officer of the Senate, and each Senator shall rise in his place, and answer guilty or not guilty. It was unanimously agreed to. Mr. Sumner had voted "guilty" on nearly all the articles of impeachment, and on the question of a vote for adjournment of the court without day he voted in the affirmative. Since the, close of the famous trial Mr. Sumner has made only one great speech, though no one has paid closer or more conscientious attention to his legislative duties than he.
Apart from his efforts in Congress in behalf of the colored race Mr. Sumner distinguished himself by two important speeches as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign relations. The first of these he delivered in 1863, on the, Trent affair, maintaining that the seizure of the Southern Commissioners was indefensible on any ground of any international law, and that the logical conclusion of such an act would be to arm all the nations of the world against each other
